These ten questions practise the skills in self-review and feedback use. They move from easy to harder. Write your answer first, then open the explanation.
Where a question asks for your own sentence, several answers can be right. Judge yours against the checks in the explanation, not against the exact wording. The mistake log and retest queue is a good place to record any you miss.
Questions
Question 1 (easy). A teacher writes “Vague” beside the sentence The film was really good and had a lot of interesting parts. Which of these is a usable revision action? (a) Make it better. (b) Replace “interesting parts” with one named scene and say why it held your attention.
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(b). It names a place (the phrase “interesting parts”), a change (one named scene with a reason) and implies a test (can the reader tell which scene?). Option (a) has no place, change or test. See turning feedback into an action.
Question 2 (easy). Put these review steps in a sensible order: proofread spelling; restate the task; label each paragraph’s job; decide what to cut.
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Restate the task, label each paragraph’s job, decide what to cut, then proofread spelling. Relevance comes before surface correctness, because you may delete what you would otherwise polish. See relevance before surface correctness.
Question 3 (easy). Why is “My writing is messy” a weak log entry?
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It has no quote, no issue type and no cause, so you cannot compare it with a later piece. A better entry quotes a phrase, for instance “Also, parks are good.”, and labels it as a missing topic sentence. See building an evidence log.
Question 4 (medium). The task is to write a letter to a neighbour inviting them to a street clean-up. A draft begins: Litter has been a problem for centuries, since the early days of towns. Does this sentence meet the task? Explain.
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No. The purpose is to invite a neighbour, but the sentence gives a general history. It is off task on purpose and probably register. A revision might be: I am writing to invite you to help clear the litter on Jalan Mawar this Saturday morning.
Question 5 (medium). Convert this comment into an action using place, change and test: “Needs more development.” The paragraph says: School trips are useful. They teach students things.
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Example: In the second sentence, replace “things” with one named skill or fact learnt on a particular trip, so the reader sees what “useful” means. Test: could another student name what was learnt? Revision: A visit to the river teaches students how to measure water flow, a skill no textbook diagram can replace.
Question 6 (medium). Compare the two versions and say which is stronger on precision, with a quoted phrase.
A: The market had lots of stalls selling different things. B: Stalls of chillies, rope and plastic buckets lined both sides of the lane.
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B is stronger on precision. The phrase “chillies, rope and plastic buckets” gives exact items, while A uses “lots of” and “different things”, which tell the reader nothing specific. See comparing two versions.
Question 7 (medium). A student’s second draft is twice as long as the first. Give three checks to make before calling it better.
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Any three of: does every added sentence serve the task; does each paragraph still follow a clear order; do new words add exact detail; has repetition crept in; is the register still right for the audience; can you name which change caused the improvement?
Question 8 (harder). This log has three entries. Identify the pattern and choose a target.
- “The road was long and tiring.” (narrative)
- “The room was big and messy.” (descriptive)
- “Many students are unhappy and stressed.” (article)
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The pattern is general adjectives in place of exact detail: “long and tiring”, “big and messy”, “unhappy and stressed”. It appears in three different forms of writing, so it is a habit, not a slip. A sensible target: in the next piece, replace each pair of adjectives with one observed detail, such as her bag straps had left red lines on her shoulders.
Question 9 (harder). Task: a speech to classmates persuading them to use the school library. Decide which paragraph label is off task and what to do.
- Paragraph 1: the library’s quiet study corner.
- Paragraph 2: a short history of the library building.
- Paragraph 3: how to borrow two books at once.
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Paragraph 2 is off task, since the purpose is to persuade classmates to use the library, and a building history does not do that. Cut it, or replace it with a reason to use the library, such as a specific resource. Paragraphs 1 and 3 give practical reasons a listener can act on.
Question 10 (harder). Prepare a discussion: you are unsure whether the opening of your argument essay states your viewpoint. Write the passage label, your judgement and one question. Use this opening: Some people think homework should be banned. Others disagree. This essay will look at both.
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Example: Passage: the three-sentence opening above. Task: argue for or against a ban on homework, for a school debate. My judgement: the opening lists both sides but does not say which I support, so the reader cannot tell my position. Question: in the third sentence, how can I state my viewpoint while still showing I understand the other side? What I tried: Homework should not be banned, but its amount should be limited.
If you got these wrong
| What went wrong | Go to |
|---|---|
| Actions felt vague, or you could not name a place, change and test (Questions 1, 5) | Turn feedback into a specific revision action |
| You preferred the longer or fancier draft (Questions 6, 7) | Compare two versions of an original paragraph |
| You proofread before checking the task, or missed off-task content (Questions 2, 4, 9) | Check relevance before surface correctness |
| Your notes had no quote or cause, or you could not spot a pattern (Questions 3, 8) | Build an evidence log of recurring issues |
| Your question was too wide, or you had nothing to bring (Question 10) | Prepare a passage and question for individual discussion |
For help with summary selection while you practise, the summary selection and paraphrase studio and the writing revision compare view both support these skills.
Go back to the module overview for the suggested study order. If a pattern keeps repeating after you have tried these steps, online one-to-one English First Language tuition offers a way to work through it with a teacher reading your actual drafts.